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Alternative Jewelry
An Alternative to Diamonds
A diamond is glamour, its beauty and it’s also the ultimate expression of love and romance, a magnificent enchanting gem that every girl wants. Unfortunately diamonds also come with a magnificent price tag which is why for most they are reserved for special occasions. Diamonds are made from carbon atoms which are arranged in a certain way because of intense heat and pressure from their surroundings where they are created. Most diamonds around the world were formed between 1 to 3.3 billion years ago far below the earths surface where it took large volcanic eruptions to push them close enough to the surface to be mined. They are mined from a number of countries around the world and not only used for the jewellery trade but in other industries as well. A diamond is one of the hardest natural substances known to man and as such has other values than an aesthetic one. The gems appearance is enhanced because it has a high refraction and dispersion index. This makes the light passing through the gem bend and separate to form a colour spectrum which makes a diamond sparkle and shimmer. Diamonds aren’t the only gem that can create this beautiful effect and today there are a number of diamond alternatives that are used for making jewellery.
Swarovski Crystal
Swarovski crystal is the most affordable alternative to a diamond although not technically a crystal but lead glass. Its high precision cutting and polishing technique combined with its multi faceted faces, make Swarovski Crystals a high quality and cost effective alternative to diamonds which is why it’s so popular. Swarovski have a range of ornaments, stones for jewellery and Swarovski Crystal beads that are sold in many shapes colours and sizes and widely used throughout the fashion industry for adding sparkle to both jewellery and catwalk clothing.
Cultured diamonds
Cultured diamonds are man made diamonds that are manufactured in a lab from carbon the same raw material as a mined diamond consists of. Using a specific process which uses gases combined with high heat and pressure its possible to artificially grow diamonds that look like top quality flawless and colourless diamonds. The diamonds created have the same weight, refraction, dispersion and other properties to a natural diamond with the added bonus that some of the desired qualities can be enhanced to improve the diamond even further. All this and it only cost a few pounds to make a top quality diamond however at present they are still sold for a high price because of the name.
Cubic Zirconia
Cubic Zirconia which is known as CZ is probably the most well known diamond alternative as it’s often referred to as a fake diamond by many people. CZ is grown in a lab from a material called zirconium dioxide and is cheap to manufacture a flawless CZ gem. When compared side by side many people are unable to tell the difference between a high quality well cut CZ gems and a diamond. They are naturally colourless when grown and can be colourised by using metal oxide in the development stage to give the gem either one or a multi colour effect. CZ isn’t as hard as a diamond and has a lower refraction and dispersion index which means that it isn’t quite as sparkly as a diamond but comes very close. CZ is heavier than a diamond by about 1.6 times its weight making it easy to differentiate it from a diamond.
Moissanite
Moissanite is a newer diamond alternative than CZ and is currently only manufactured by one company who have a patent on the gem. Like CZ it’s also artificially grown in a lab to produce a gem that looks very much like a diamond. Moissanite is slightly lighter than a diamond in weight but not noticeably so, its also not far off the hardness of a diamond as it rates 9.25 on the Mohs scale in comparison to a diamonds reading of 10.0. This makes Moissanite harder wearing than both Swarovski and CZ and is less likely to chip through general usage. What distinguishes Moissanite from a diamond is its sparkle which is much higher than that of a diamond, which is noticeable even to an untrained eye.
Pearl Jewelry
Pearl jewelry is incredibly versatile. As the June birthstone, pearls are a perfect gift for the June bride or the college graduate. Whether an anniversary gift, a birthday gift or for a special sweet sixteen, pearls make a beautiful elegant gift.
Pearls have become more affordable with the development of cultured pearls. Six factors determine a pearls value: shape, luster, surface texture, nacre thickness, color and size. Understanding each of these features and how they affect the price of a pearl will help you buy the pearl jewelry that is right for you.
Luster describes a pearls sheen, how the light plays off of the layer of nacre.High quality pearls have an even reflection, with a warm radiance or glow. Pearls with a dull sheen are of lower quality. Luster can reflect the origin of a pearl. South Sea and Tahitian pearls tend to have a more diffused and softer reflection. Akoya pearls typically have a luster that is higher, making them more expensive than the South Sea and Tahitian pearl.The reflection from the surface of the pearl determines its color. The reflected light that comes from deep within the pearl gives the pearl an inner color, an overtone. White pearls that have a pink or silver overtone are the most valuable. With dark pearls, the most valuable color is black with a blue or green overtone. Having pearls that are matched in both size and color will make the piece more valuable than jewelry with mismatched pearls.
A smooth surface is found in high quality pearls, no imperfections in the surface or color. A typical pearl necklace will be having its larger pearls strung in the center, with the pearls getting smaller as they approach the clasp. A more valuable necklace will have pearls that all of the same size. Pearls are typically assigned one of four grades: AAA+, AAA, AA, A. When you are buying pearl jewelry, ask about the quality of the pearls features, how it has been graded and what the grading is. By knowing how pearls are valued, you can be confident that you are getting your moneys worth when buying pearl jewelry.
Gemstone Jewelry
Even though gemstones are among the most durable of substances, they still require some tender loving care. To keep your precious jewelry in mint condition, just a few simple steps and precautions will help you achieve your goal.
The reason why even the hardest gemstone variety can be vulnerable to breakage is if it has inclusions. All gemstones are natural occurring rock forms, so it is only natural for stones to have inclusions. To avoid your jewelry from becoming dull, apply cosmetics, hairspray, cologne or perfume before putting on gemstone jewelry.
So remember to remove your jewelry when going for a swim in the pool.After wearing, it is a good practice to wipe your precious gemstone jewelry thoroughly with a soft, clean and slightly damp flannel or chamois cloth to remove dirt and oil. Not only will this small action of cleaning your jewelry after each wear ensure that your jewelry is clean, it will also help to enhance the gemstone’s shine.
It is a cleaning device that uses ultrasound together with an appropriate cleaning solution to clean delicate items such as jewelry. Be extra careful when using an ultrasonic cleaner. Harder gemstones such as diamonds and rubies will be fine, however some gemstones that are more fragile such as coral, opal, lapis lazuli, pearl, or turquoise can be damaged.
When storing your jewelry, make sure that each piece of gemstone jewelry is kept separately and away from sunlight so that they will not scratch against each other and to prevent the gemstones colour from fading. If gemstone jewelry are not stored properly and thrown into a heap in a jewelry box, gemstones will easily scratch the finish on your platinum, silver or gold.
It is also important to store bead necklaces and bracelets flat as silk stretches over time. Stretched bead jewelry will easily come apart.Excessive humidity can make pearls soft and cause them to become misshapen. Freshwater pearls in particular are sensitive to this problem. Please do not store them in a plastic bag! Plastic bags can trap moisture which can cause serious damage to your pearl jewelry.By giving just a little time to care for your jewelry on a daily basis, your jewelry will be in mint condition for a longer period of time